When Fred Phelps came to Santa Fe we did a silent protest with businesses downtown. WE got the weekly rag to print a rainbow flag so that everyone could tear out the page and put it in their window. We had this massive saturation all around town, people put it in their businesses, homes, churches. It was great to meet the Phelps clan with such force and dignity. Maybe you can try something like that. Who needs big banners if there are small flags everywhere?

If you saw the Fox 6 Report, you got the general idea of the Mayor’s stance - but not ALL of it.

At this time, it boils down to - he will not sign the proclamation nor allow for our banners to hang in Southside as they normally do all week of Pride week.

The dummy feels the proclamation was drafted especially for him and is being used as a way to pull him and publicity into the event - where he is hugely mistaken. It’s a template that’s been used for the last 20 years in which only the name of the current mayor is updated. Every mayor has always signed it quietly and nothing else was ever asked differently of THIS mayor.

He is angered at the negative publicity this has brought on himself, and pointing fingers at the Pride Board and Birmingham News - when it was his original statement that got everyone fired up.

He is now using it and flipping it to his benefit - and taking the stance to gain support from the same demographic that supports his religious views.

At any rate -
Thank you for supporting us in this and please encourage any readers interested to march with us. Since this whole stink started, the parade will probably be watched a little harder this year since it made local news and pissed Langford off.

Marching is FREE - you just have to fill out a short registration form that will be provided at the lineup on the day of the event. Registering a vehicle is $25 or so - I didn’t have a float last year but took my truck and a group of friends to throw beads. It’s a lot of fun. Everyone is welcome to march and parade with us!